Conventionally, a control panel of the security system upon receiving an alarm or security condition signal from a zone of the security system transmits an appropriate signal, such as an alarm code signal, to a central station. In the central station conventionally, a human operator monitors the receipt of such signals and reports the receipt of such signals to a pre-specified user receiving station, such as the telephone number associated with the user, and/or to the police or security personnel.
Security systems offer a degree of security for residential sites and for office, business, or industrial applications. Typically, a security device monitoring or controlling a zone is provided as part of a security system. For example, an alarm may be set, which is triggered upon the occurrence of various threat or alarm conditions. At a larger installation such as in a residential, business, industrial or office setting, more than one zone and security device may be provided at various locations of the site. The security devices are typically connected to a security control panel, which is essentially a control board or control module for security for the site. Also, a remote central monitoring station may be connected, and this central monitor station may be notified when an alarm condition, a threat condition, or some other type of security breach, a fire condition, or other type of emergency condition or the like is detected. A fault may comprise the tripping of an alarm, the triggering of an alarm condition, including an opening or breaking of a window, door, gate, lock or the like, a detected motion, an interaction by a user at a keypad or user interface, including for example, as attempted entry or providing of an incorrect PIN or code, a broken wire, or any other such condition. For example, whether or not the security system is armed, faults can be detected. By way of illustration, a user at a keypad may interact with the system causing a fault, or a motion sensor can detect motion and register a fault, even if the security system is not armed.
However, using such a central station in a conventional configuration requires personnel monitoring of the security system, typically on a 24-hour, seven-day basis. Also, notifying the central station typically entails a delay between the receipt by the central station of the alarm signal, event notification or condition status from the control panel and the telephone call to the user associate with the site monitored by the security system, because the human operator at a central station must notice the signal, and appropriately intervene, by identifying the correct phone number and placing the call to the user.
In addition, typically a user may not always be found at a particular pre-specified telephone number at any given hour of the day. The user may be traveling and available only at a cell phone or portable communication device at any particular time, or may be accessible via a user terminal at an office or at home but not via a previously designated telephone number registered to the user. Also, the user may be monitoring an e-mail receiving terminal, but not a conventional telephone.
In addition, users expect notification in a familiar format, and in a format in which the priority level or importance and essential content of the notification can be recognized virtually instantly. A user may not always wish to be interrupted via voice notification, or may wish to know in advance essential information about the event, fault or alarm condition before deciding whether the user wishes to be interrupted. Further, it may be desirable to provide a photograph, audio or video information about the event or alarm condition along with the notification of essential data about the event or alarm condition to be reviewed immediately or at the user's convenience.